Roger Kendrick Ferris (1944-2015)

FERRIS, SWAROFF, HOPKINS, VOAKLANDER, HENNINGSEN

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 3/13/2015 at 20:54:05

From Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:

Roger Kendrick Ferris
October 18, 1944 - February 27, 2015

Roger Ferris, age 70, of Ames died Friday, February 27, 2015, at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames. Family and friends will gather from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, and at a celebration of life memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 6, at Memorial Lutheran Church, 2228 Lincoln Way, Ames.

Roger was born October 18, 1944, in Mason City, Iowa - the son of Gerald and Helen (Swaroff) Ferris. In 1947, the family moved to Algona, and Roger graduated from Algona High School in 1962. He attended Iowa State University until 1967, when he was drafted into the United States Army. He married Pamela Hopkins on January 14, 1968, in Algona. They lived briefly in Virginia while he was stationed at Fort Eustis, and then he served in Thailand through May, 1968. Upon discharge, they returned to Iowa State, where Roger received his BS in Applied Art in 1971 and began working on his Masters in ceramic pottery.

Roger spent his entire 32-year professional career at the Iowa State Memorial Union. Beginning as a part-time pottery instructor, he created The Workspace and The Outlet, a sales shop for student and local artists. He then served as Union Program Director, Facility Manager, and Associate Director, retiring in 2003. He enjoyed working in all these capacities, and especially loved working with "the Union family," students and the public, striving always to promote and preserve MU's rich traditions.

Roger was a member of Memorial Lutheran Church and served on the Board of Directors as recording secretary and property chairman. He also was a past member of the Noon Kiwanis and was their Pancake Days organizer for several years.

Roger is survived by his wife, Pam; daughter, Jennifer (Ben) Voaklander; son, Andrew Ferris; grandchildren, Haley, Adam and Will Voaklander all of Ames; sisters-in-law Jan Ferris of O'Fallon, IL; Pat (Charles) Henningsen of Ruthven; and brother-in-law Kent Hopkins of Paradise Valley, AZ; nieces and nephews; and beloved dog, Sadie. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Jerry, and sister Patt.

Roger not only lived life, he celebrated it. He loved making others smile; working on creative, construction or repair projects; and especially making lasting family memories at Lake Okoboji and Estes Park, Colorado. Through courage, dignity, grace, and humor - his approach to dealing with cancer for the past 18 years - it never robbed him of his joy for life. As Haley writes, "There wasn't a person he couldn't make laugh, problem he couldn't fix or animal he couldn't whisper with."

Memorials may be directed to Bliss Cancer Center, Memorial Lutheran Church, or the Roger Ferris Memorial Union Scholarship Fund through the ISU Foundation.

http://www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com/
 

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